Texas Farmer Makes Creatures Out Of Steel

Texas farmer makes creatures out of steel AG WORLD Ag World 13-6-18 Passersby on Highway 22 southwest of Fort Worth, Texas always take a second look at the creations in Raymond and Prudence Jones's farmyard. Their son, Jerry Jones, uses old parts and salvaged steel to create a variety of unique sculptures that are scattered around the farm. What catches the attention of most people is a "zoo" of animals that contains an elephant, flamingos, a turtle, and other animals. Jerry built the body of the elephant using an 800 gal. fuel oil tank for the body and a 55 gal. drum for the head. The ears are old International tractor fenders. The rest of the body parts were fashioned from odds and ends he found around the farm or at a salvage yard. Since Jerry's mother is a Republican and his dad a Democrat, Jerry decided that to be fair he should also build a donkey. He built it using miscellaneous steel barrels, pipe, cultivator shovels, and scrap machine parts. Flamingos consist of steel pipe, rods, cultivator shanks, and plate steel. They appear to be flying around the yard near metal "cattails" and a huge turtle, both of which Jerry also built. All sculptures are painted in true-to-life colors. He plans to add more animals to the realistic looking steel "zoo" in the future. Other creations include a life-size Billy the Kid, a planter made out of a wood wagon wheel, a bunch of horse shoes, and a big iron kettle. Jerry plans to build a 271/2-ft. palm tree, a giraffe, lions, ostrich, and a deer. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Jerry Johnson, Rt. 1, Box 120, Jonesboro, Tex. 76538 (ph 817 386-5389).

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